Boat trailer



Nov. 3, 1953 F. LINNEMAN 2,657,934

' BOAT TRAILER Filed Aug. 16, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fred L inneman zzvmvron.

Nov. 3, 1953 F. LINNEMAN 2,657,934

BOAT TRAILER Filed Aug. 16, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2.

Fred Linneman INVENTOR.

F. LINNEMAN BOAT TRAILER Nov. 3, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 16, 1951 %k m n mi 7 Wk 90 NW vb Nb W Fred Linneman INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOAT TRAILER Fred Llnneman, Estclllne, S. Dali.

Application August 16, 1951, Serial No. 242,084

7 Claims, 1

This invention relates to new and useful immovements in boat trailers and contains subjectmat-ter similar to that disclosed in my copeilding application Serial No. 11,369, now U. S. Patent No. 2,564,702, issued August 21, 1951.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a boat trailer composed of a pair of side members adapted to be coupled to a towing vehicle and novel and improved wheel mounts attached to the side members, whereby the trailer may effectively support a boat.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a boat trailer of the aforementioned character wherein the wheel mounts each consists of a pair of U-shaped supports pivoted at one of these ends to the side members for vertical swinging movement and spring con-' nected to the side members at their other ends to form a resilient suspension for the side meme bers and the boat supported thereby,

A further object of the present invention is to provide a boat trailer having a forward support for one end of a boat and a rear support includ-.- ing a cross-rod and a sling for clampingly supporting the other end of the boat.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a boat trailer aforedescribed wherein the wheel mounts and boat supporting means are adjustable longitudinally upon the side members, whereby the trailer may be employed for hauling boats of various lengths in a convenient manner.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the present invention;

Figure 2. is a side view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3e-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing a boat supported by the trailer. and the trailer coupled to the rear of a vehicle;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 5 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the manner in which the boat sling connect ing means is raised to the position shown in Figure 5.;

Figure 7 is an enl g d d tail sees 2 tional view taken substantially on the plane of section line Ir-1 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 88 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral l0 represents a wheeled frame including a pair of tubular side members I and 14 having straight rear portions 18 and I8 and inwardly and forwardly inclined forward end portions 20 and 22.

A combined connection and coupling member 24 is fixed to the forward extremities of the portions 20 and 22, and includes a forward extension 26 having a socket to accommodate a spherical element 28 releasably mountable on the rear of a vehicle V. A suitable manually adjustable retainer 38 will retain the ball in the socket of extension 26 while permitting universal movement of the extension on the ball.

lhe frame III also includes a pair of substantially U-shaped tubular supports 32 and 34 whose upwardly and" forwardly inclined and offset ends threadingly enter socket elements 36 and 38 fixedly supporting cars 40 and 42. Clamps 44 and 4 6 slidably adjustable mounted on the intermedil fis portions of the side members I2 and I4 are pivoted to the cars 40 and 42 by the same fasteners joining the lower ends of the halves formingthe clamps 44 and 46.

lf 'he upstanding rear ends 48 and 50 of the supports 32 and 34 enter the lower split ends of substantially vertical tubes 52 and 54 which split ends are expansible and contractable by the connections 56 to permit clamping thereof about the ends 48 and 50.

Split clamps 58 and 60 are fixed to the upper closed ends of the tubes 52 and 54 and receive the ends of a cross-bar 62 that connects the rear ends of the supports. Fasteners 64 join the ends of each clamp 58, i0 and carry hook elements 8 8 and L-shaped retainers 68 that engage the hook elements to prevent rotation thereof on the fasteners 54, as shown best in Figure 7.

Additional split clamps I0 and 12 are slidably adjustably mounted on the side members I! and I4 behind the supports 32 and 34 and the fasteners joining the spaced end of each clamp 10, I3 engage the lower eye ends of coil springs l4 and It whose upper eye ends receive the hook elementsv 86. Chains 18 terminally secured to the fas i lerfl 64 and the'clamps l0 and 12 limit 3 downward movement of the side members l2 and I4 relative to the cross-bar 62.

The low points of the supports 32 and 34 support axles for wheels 80, preferably of the pneumatic type, which are spaced apart sufficiently to permit a boat B to be supported between and spaced from the wheels.

Since the supports 32 and 34 are pivoted to the side members I2 and I4 for vertical swin ing movement with the rear ends of the supports spring connected to the side members I2 and I4, the side members may move upwardly and downwardly as the wheels ride over bumps or rough terrain to resiliently support the boat and cushion the upward and downward movement of the boat and the side members.

Means is provided for supporting the forward end of the boat B on the frame I and this means comprises forward sleeves 82 and 84 slidably received on the end portions and 22 and held slidably adjusted by set screws 86. Rear sleeves 88 and 90 are also slidably received on the end portions 20 and 22 and are held in adjusted position by set screws 92.

Posts 94 and 96 rise from and are fixed to the sleeves 82 and 84, and braces 98 and I00 connect the sleeves 88 and 90 to the posts 94 and 96. Collars I02, suitably vertically adjustably held, on the posts are connected by a crossstrap I04 carrying a holder and guide I06 for a sliding pin I08, the latter being urged against the rear portion IIO of the holder and guide I06 and through an aperture in the strap I04 by a spring II2.

An eye member 4 is anchored on the forward end of boat B and extends behind strap I04 and in front of portion IIO to receive the pin I08.

Means is provided for clampingly supporting the rear end of the boat B on the frame I0 and this means comprises a pair of clamps II6 that are slidably adjustably mounted on the rear portions I6 and I8 and whose upper portions support co-axial clamps I I8 that clampingly embrace the ends of a cross-rod I20.

Collars or sleeves I22 are rotatably supported on the portions I6 and I8 in front of the clamps IIS and behind rings I24 retained on the portions I6 and I8 by suitable set screws. The sleeves I22 are fixed to and between the ends of V-shaped wire members I26 each having a hook I28 at one of their ends that engages chains ISG which are secured to the ends of a strap or sling I32.

The rear end of the boat B rests on the sling I32 and in order to raise the rear end of the boat so that the same will be clamped between the sling and the cross-rod I20, it is merely necessary to rotate the sleeves IIB, by the members I26, until the chains I30 are wrapped about the sleeves II 5, as shown in Figure 5, after which hooks I34, slidably on the members I26, are engaged with links of the chains. The boat will thereby be releasably supported on the frame for movement therewith.

Obviously, the axles supporting the wheels 80 may extend outwardly so that the wheels would be disposed along the outer faces of the supports 32 and 34.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is:

1. A boat trailer comprising a pair of side members adapted to support a boat and to be coupled. at one of their ends to a towing vewhat is shaped supports having forward ends pivotally secured to the members, the rear ends of said supports extending upwardly beyond the members, spring means connecting the rear ends of the supports to the members and extending downwardly from the rear ends of the supports toward the members, and wheels carried by the supports intermediate their ends.

2. A boat trailer comprising a pair of side members adapted to support a boat and to be coupled at one of their ends to a towing vehicle, a pair of side by side substantially V-shaped supports including forward ends and upstanding rear ends, means pivotally securing the forward ends of the supports to the members, the rear ends of said supports extending upwardly past the members, a cross-bar connecting the rear ends of said supports, coil springs securing the rear ends of said supports to said side members, and wheels carried by said supports.

3. A boat trailer comprising a pair of side members each having a forward portion and a rear portion, means carried by the forward portions of said members for supporting the forward end of a boat, means carried b the rear portions of said members for supporting the rear end of the boat, a pair of side by side V-shaped supports having forward and rear ends, means slidably adjustably mounted on said members and pivoted to the forward ends of said supports, a tube releasably secured over the rear end of each support, a clamp supported by each tube, a cross bar held in each clamp, springs connecting the clamps to the members, and a, wheel carried by each support.

4. A boat trailer comprising a pair of side members having forward end portions and rear end portions, the forward end portions of said members extending toward each other, means joining the forward end portions of said members and including a coupling for engaging a towing vehicle, means supported on the forward end portions of said members for engaging and supporting the front end of a boat, means carried by the rear end portions of said members for supporting the rear end or a boat, a pair of side supports having forward portions pivoted to said members for vertical swing movement, said supports including rear portions extending upwardly beyond the side members, means extending over the members and connecting the rear portions of said supports together, coil springs connecting the rear portions of said supports to said members, and a wheel carried by each support.

5. A boat trailer comprising a pair of side members having forward end portions and rear end portions, the forward end portions of said members extending toward each other, means joining the forward end portions of said members and including a coupling for engaging a towing vehicle, means supported on the forward end portions of said members for engaging and supporting the front end of a boat, means carried by the rear end portions of said members for supporting the rear end of a boat, a pair of side supports having forward portions pivoted to said members for vertical swing movement, said supports including rear portions extending upwardly beyond the side members, a vertical tube releasably supported on the rear portion of each support, a clamp fixed to each tube, a cross-bar having its ends held in said clamps, coil springs having upper ends attached to said clamps and lower ends attached to said members, nd a wh l rhicle, a pair of side by side substantiall v- 16 ried by each s pport.

6. The combination of claim 4 wherein said means for supporting the rear end of a boat comprises a rigid cross-rod terminally secured to said side members, a sling underlying said cross-rod and movable toward and away from said crossrod, and means connecting said sling to said side members and including means for retaining the sling raised and relatively close to the cross-rod to clamp a boat between the cross-rod and the sling.

7. The combination of claim 4 wherein said means for supporting the rear end of a boat compi ises a rigid cross-rod terminally secured to said side members, a sling underlying said cross-rod and movable toward and away from said crossrod, a collar rotatably mounted on each side member, a wire loop secured to each collar, chains connecting the loops to the sling, and hooks slid- 6 able on the loops and engaging the chains to retain the sling raised and relatively close tothe cross-rod and to hold the collars against rotation.

FRED LINNEMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 10 2,287,955 Zunino June so, 1942 2,516,574 Holly July 25, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 604,947 France May 17, 1926 637,168 France Apr. 24, 1928 

